I had a trailer with a checkerboard aluminium floor and tailgate. If the tailgate got wet it could be extremely slippery if you were wearing the right (wrong?) shoes. I would do something to make sure you always had traction on those steps.

Hope you keep and use the unique stair mats as they will mitigate the wear from sand and scuffs.

Dr. Steve - Bob is right, I've used a fair amount of "checkerplate" aluminum and it is super pretty when it's not scuffed and not when it is. I had it on my entry steps and didn't protect it and it got so scratched, I took it out and replaced it with varnished wood and mats. I use it for "nose moulding" on my entrance steps but I have wood for the actual wear areas.

if scratching is a problem wonder how a few strips of hardwood (Oak ? ) 3/8" or so thick 1/2" wide with a radius edge screwed with recessed stainless steel screws down on the treads would look? The oak would wear and scratch over time but could be refinished or replaced easy... Might be hard for the oak to lay flat on the diamond tread, Or cover the treads with hardwood and leave the risers diamond plate.

Steve, while it looks great now your not going to like it after a few months use, put a new diamond plate tool box on my pickup a year ago, and its scratched,and chewed up with nobody walking on it. If it was me i would get some diamond plate rubber make some treads,big enough to do some good, but still show pleanty of diamond plate, that stuff comes in colors, blue?

I find the "no shoes" thing hard to do. If it is muddy outside, shoes come off on the steps, and we clean up the steps later. If it is dry outside, "shoes off" is optional, and the floor gets a good sweep once or twice a day to keep it clean. The stairs are ceramic tiles, and the floor is laminate, so it is easy to clean. I mop it usually after coming home from a road trip.

I guess what I really meant was every thing has it's trade off. I've had granite ,stock rubber,oak and prob hard maple this time. Looks neat! A rubber slip mat for traffic area maybe but different strokes for different folks . Somebody put allot of spin work on that bottom step. Bob